Cold weather may worsen joint pain

People with aching joints should take care to wrap up warm, as the cold weather could worsen their pain.

Lynda Scott-Williams, chief executive of the Arthritic Association, said the scientific evidence on the subject is inconclusive.

'Nevertheless, the link between arthritic symptoms and the weather is something some of our members do often comment on,' she revealed.

Ms Scott-Williams pointed out that the worsening in symptoms that some people experience at this time of year may simply be caused by a decrease in physical activity, as people tend to spend more time indoors during the winter months.

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She advised: 'We do appreciate that exercise can be very difficult when you're in pain, but doing some of the activities in the way we suggest - flexing your ankles and wrists, for example, and rolling your head and your shoulders - can be really helpful.'

More than nine million people in the UK are affected by arthritis, according to NHS figures.

The most common forms are osteoarthritis - a degenerative form of joint disease - and rheumatoid arthritis, which is an autoimmune disease in which the person's immune system mistakenly attacks their joints.

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